1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to fishing rod handles and more particularly to a rod stabilizing flotation handle for spinning-type fishing rods.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art of fishing rods abounds with rod design variations concerning primarily with the size, weight, appearance, flexibility and reliability of the fishing rod proper, but little has been done to alter the conventional design of the rod itself to directly aid the fisherman in his control of the rod when landing a fish. This is particularly true in the art of the so-called "spinning-type" or "long" fishing rod wherein the reactive forces which are transmitted through the rod to the fisherman's arm in landing a fish are significantly increased over those of a "bait casting" rod due to the relatively longer length and to the manner in which the fisherman grasps the spinning rod.
The conventional spinning rod is generally characterized by coaxially aligned segments including in successive connection: an elongate flexible rod segment, a forward hand gripping handle segment, a reel brace segment for securing a fishing reel in underlying manner to the rod, and a posterior handle segment. A fisherman, in casting with and holding the rod, grasps the rod at the forward hand gripping handle segment and generally places the posterior handle segment against the side or underside of his forearm to steady the rod when reeling in an object or when fighting a fish. With the conventional prior art spinning rod design, however, use of the posterior handle segment for its intended stabilization of the rod has been highly inefficient, requiring the fisherman to exert undue muscular effort, energy and mental attention to the stabilization and control of his rod rather than in allowing him to concentrate his energy and attention to fighting and reeling in the fish. The inefficiencies of the prior art spinning rod designs result primarily from the standard cylindrical shape of the posterior handle segment of the rod which coaxially extends rewardly from the reel mounting segment thereof. When in operative engagement with one another, the forearm of the fisherman and the posterior handle present two rounded convex surfaces to one another, urging the posterior handle to disengagingly slip sideways off of the fisherman's forearm. To prevent the slipage of the posterior handle segment from his forearm, the fisherman is required to grasp the forward handle segment of the rod with significantly increased pressure thus also exerting increased strains upon his wrist and upper arm muscles.
In addressing the stabilization problem relative spinning rods, several prior art rod stabilizing attachments have been designed. These attachments, however, have generally proved to be impractical, burdensome to use and inefficient. One such prior art stabilizing attachment comprises a wire clamp for physically strapping the posterior handle segment directly to the fisherman's forearm. While serving to steady the rod, this attachment unduly concentrates forces on a small portion of the fisherman's arm, is uncomfortable and burdensome to use and decreases the fisherman's flexibility of broad use since he must physically employ his free hand to clamp and unclamp the attachment as desired.
Other rod stabilizing attachments for spinning rods have employed forearm braces attached forward of or to the reel mounting brace segment of the rod and extending perpendicular or obliquely to the rod axis for engaging the fisherman's forearm substantially out of line with the rod axis. These devices, while tending to stabilize the rod from twisting motion, have been cumbersome to use, have placed increased streeses upon the hand and wrist portions of the fisherman's arm which is substantially obliquely aligned with the rod axis and have been uncomfortable to use due to the reactive forces from the rod being concentrated upon a small portion of the fisherman's arm.
Other rod stabilizing attachments have appeared in the prior art for specific use with "bait casting" and "fly" rods which pose different stabilization requirements from the spinning rod due to their configurations and methods of grasping and control by the fisherman. Neither these attachments nor their teachings of use can be practically or efficiently applied to the stabilization of spinning-type rods.
Another problem which has distressed fisherman for years has been the almost -- certain loss of fishing rod and reel if same are accidently thrown into deep water, as for example in a lake. While fishing tackle manufacturers have recently designed fiberglas rods which have the capability of floating, none of those rods has the buoyant capacity to float both the rod and a fishing reel attached thereto. Heretofore, therefore, once a rod and reel was accidently thrown overboard, they were for all practical purposes considered lost by the fisherman.
The present invention overcomes the problems associated with prior art techniques of stabilizing a spinning rod and with floating a fishing rod and reel by use of a unique stabilizing flotation handle. While the particular configuration of the handle will be described in connection with its stabilizing use for a spinning rod, it will be understood that the flotation aspects of this invention could be applied to any type of fishing rod.
While the stabilizing handle will be described with respect to preferred embodiments of arm engaging surface designs, it will be understood that other configurations could equally well be employed within the spirit and intent of this invention. Further, while the stabilizing handle will be described both as an intrigal part of the fishing rod and as an attachment to the posterior handle segment of existing spinning rods, it will be understood that the details of securement respectively of the stabilizing handle proper and stabilizing handle attachment can be varied within the scope of this invention. It will also be understood that while representative configurations for providing the inventive flotation properties of this invention will be disclosed, these disclosures can be replaced by alternate configurations and materials to achieve the intentions of this invention.